Regenerative repeater



Dec. 15, 1936- R. F. DIRKES ET AL.l 2,064,298

REGENERTIVE REPEATER Filed De'o. 20, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 l Snvwnozs R.F. DIRKES V. R. KxMBALL fd'WT/homm Dec. l5, 1936. v R. F. DIRKEs ET A1.2,064,298

REGENERAT IVE REPEATER Filed Deo. 20, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG 2 L.. '5mvamtozs R. F. DIRKES V.R. KIMBALL.

Dec. 15, 1936. R, F IRKES ET AL 2,054,298

REGENERAT IVE REPEATER Filed Dec. 2o, 1930 5 sheets-Sheet 5 @$137254@Hoz/mm3 wma @ffm-d Dec. 15, 1936. RF F. DlRKES ET AL 2,064,298

'REGENERATIVE REPEATER Filed Deo. 20, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 wuemtozs vR.F. DIRKES V.R.KIMBALL Dec. 15, 1936. R. F. DlRKEs ET Al.

REGENERATIVE HEPEATER 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Deo. 20, 1930 nvznbozs R.F. DIRKES V. R. KIMBALL Pm20 2 mmPZEn.

stop repeater.

vPatented Dec. 15, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REGENERATIVEREPEATER' Application December 20, 1930, Serial No. 503,812

11 Claims.

This invention relates to a telegraph system and more particularly to asimplex repeater for a start-stop printing telegraph system.

The object of the invention resides in the provision of means forrepeating and regenerating signal impulses, particularly for use in highspeed start-stop systems of telegraphy, although the invention is notlimited.thereto.

In start-stop systems approximate synchronization is maintained betweenthe rotary, distributor at the transmitting station and the receivingrotary element, by stopping each rotary device at the end of each signalgroup and starting them in a predetermined position at the beginning ofthe transmission of the succeeding signal group. The impulses comprisingeach signal group consist of a start impulse, a plurality. of codeimpulses, usually ve or six depending upon the number of selectionsdesired, and a stop or rest impulse.

The telegraph printer at the receiving end of the system ordinarilycomprises a rotary element set into operation by the starting impulse,to rotate in substantial synchronism with the received code impulses toeiect the setting of code members or selectors in accordance with thecode combination. After the last code impulse has been received the codemembers effect the selection of the character or symbol to be printed.

If high speed is not essential the rest period preceding the succeedingsignal group may be prolonged sufficiently to enable the printing tooccur from the selected character before beginning the transmission ofthe succeeding group of signals.

However, where high signal speeds are required it is necessary totransmit each signal group in rapid succession and in such cases anoverlapA must be provided whereby each code combination will betransferred to a storage mechanism and printing effected in accordancetherewith while the succeeding group of signals is being received.

We have applied this latter principle to a start- In accordance with thepreferred form of our invention each signal group, as it is received, isset up on selectable elements positioned in accordance with the polarityof the impulse received. Each selectable element, as it is positioned,may set up the impulse on a repeating sunflower or upon the reception ofthe last code impulse of the group, the entire code combination may betransferred from the selecting elements, to a storage contact mechanismby which it is applied to the segments of the Slm*- iiower. Each signalgroup, comprising the start impulse, code impulses, and rest impulse, isrepeated and regenerated by the sunflower transmitter.

The repeater may be used in connection with a system employing a sixunit code, such as is used in high speed ticker systems, wherein veselecting impulses are employed in various combinations of positive and.negative intervals to determine the type bar or type row from whichprinting is to take place and the sixth or shift impulse is employed todetermine whether printing is to take placefrom an upper case or lowercase character. Obviously the invention is not limited to such a system.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood reference willbe had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a sideelevation partly in section of a start-stop regenerative repeaterembodying our invention;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the repeater;

Figure 3 is a sectional view thereof on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the repeater;

Figure 5 is a sectional view of a portion thereof on the line 5-5 ofFigure 4;

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view showing th circuit connections forrepeating the signals.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of a modified form of repeating mechanismin which complete overlap of the received and repeated signals is notobtained.

Figure 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-8 of Figure '7;

Figure 9 is a sectional view on the line 9-9 of Figure 8, with thecontact mechanism eliminated;

Figure 10 is a schematic view of the repeater applied to a multiplextelegraph system; and,

Figure 1l is a sectional View of the multiplex selector mechanism,`showing the transmitting face plate and corrector* mechanismdiagrammatically.

Referring to Figure 1, the repeater includes a constantly running motorIIJ which, through a pinion II, drives a gear I2 associated with theselecting unit, generally indicated at I3, and a gear I4 connected to abrush arm shaft I5 through a friction clutch I6.

The selecting unit comprises the driving gear I2 rigidly secured toshaft I1, extending through bearings I8 and I9. Mounted upon the shaftfor relative rotation thereon is an operating cam 20 and a Selector camdrum 2l. The selector cam drum is arranged to be driven from the shafti1 by a friction clutch 22 and the operating cam is driven from theshaft by a ratchet clutch 23. A second friction clutch 24 causes aninitial rotation of the operating cam to eifect engagement of theratchet clutch.

The friction clutch 22 comprises a pair of spaced friction disks 25, 26,between which is loosely mounted a clutch driven disk 21 for relativerotation. The friction disks 25, 26 are pressed into engagement with thedriven disk 21 by a spring washer 28.

Secured to the rear end of the cam drum 2| is an L shaped stop arm 30having its free end extending through a slot 3| in the periphery of thedriven clutch disk 21. The end of the arm 30 normally engages a fixedabutment 32 which retains the cam drum and driven disk 21 againstrotation under the drag of the friction disks 25 and 26.

The selector cam drum consists of a hollow cylinder having twelve cams33 projecting from its cuter surface. These cams are arranged in twospiral rows, six of the cams forming one 4spiral row being marking camsand the other six, forming the second spiral row, displaced 180 degreesfrom the first row, being spacing cams.

Secured to the front of the selecting cam drum is a crimped disk orfiutter cam 34 having fourteen orimps or cam faces, seven of whichproject rearward a'nd seven frontward. The flutter cam revolves with thedrum and passes between the forked arm 35 of a lever 36, pivoted at 37.

Pvoted at the same point is a cam drum return lever 38, the right end 39of which bears against an annular plane surface 40 on the back of theiiutter cam, under the action of a spiral spring 4|.

The selector cam is mounted so as to slide back and forward on a sleeveon the shaft i1, the spring 4| tending to move it to the right againstthe front stop. Consequently if the forked end of the flutter lever isheld stationary as the flutter cam revolves it causes the drum to movebackward and forward and if the flutter lever is left free to rock onits pivot, the cam return lever 38 retains the selector drum to theright, the flutter lever 36 rocking idly on its pivot as the flutterearn rotates.

The long arm 42 of the flutter lever projects to the rear and is of suchlength that when the upturned end 43 of the armature extension 44, ofthe selecting magnet 45, is in its marking or right hand position itwill engage the end of the flutter lever, as shown in Figure 4, andprevent the lever from rocking clockwise. In this position the selectorcam moves backward and forward as itV revolves. However, when thearmature 44 is in its spacing or left hand position it clears the end ofthe flutter lever permitting the same to rock idly under the action ofthe flutter cam, the selector drum being retained in its right handposition by the cam return lever 38.

In its rest position, with marking current on the line, the flutterlever rests against the end of the armature 44, with the forked arm 35holding the cam drum in its rear or left hand position so as to causeengagement of the stop arm 30 with the abutment 32.

The start signal of each signal group is always of spacing polarity andupon receipt thereof the armature 44 is moved tothe left away from theend of the flutter lever 36, thereby permitting the same to rockinwardly, whereupon the lever 38 moves the cam drum to the right freeingthe stop arm 30 from the abutment 32 and permitting the drum to berotated by the friction clutch 22.

The cam drum revolves in substantial synchronism with the succeedingcode signals so that as each code impulse is received by the selectingmagnet 45, each succeeding cam 33 is brought into selecting position. Ifthe impulse is spacing, the drum will rest against its right hand stopat the time the impulse is received, and ifv marking, it will restagainst its left hand stop. The last or rest impulse being marking inevery case, the drum will be moved to the left to cause reengagement ofthe stop arm 30 with the abutment 32 at the end of the revolution.

Disposed along the selecting cam drum are six selecting levers 48pivoted at 41 and having two spaced arms 49 and 50, the former beingdisposed above the cam drum and the latter below the cam drum. The endsof these arms are offset with respect to each other, the lower ormarking arm being offset towards the back and the upper or spacing armbeing offset toward the front. 'Ihis is done so that when the markingcams line up with the marking arms the spacing cams will pass to therear of the spacing arms and when the spacing cams are in line with thespacing arms, the marking cams will pass to the front of the markingarms.

The marking cams are the series of six cams 1ocated spirally around thedrum 2|, the number one cam, when the drum 2| is at rest, being therearmost cam on the underneath side of the drum, adapted to engage thelever arm 50 of the first or rearmost selector lever, the remaining fivemarking cams extending spirally around the drum in a clockwisedirection, looking at the right end of the cam drum. The spacing camsare the series having the number one cam placed on the upper side of thedrums just to the right of the stop arm (Figure 1).

'I'he selecting levers will be rocked either clockwise orcounterclockwise as the cam drum revolves, depending upon whether thecam drum is shifted to the right in response to a spacing signal so asto cause the spacing cam to line up with the spacing arm, or to the leftin response to a marking signal so as to cause a marking cam to line upwith one of the marking arms. The selector levers are thus set up insuccession as each impulse is received and they are held in their setposition by individual detents engaging either with the top or the frontthereof, under the pressure of detent springs 52.

By way f a specific example, supposing the code combinationrepresentative of the fraction 1/2, consisting of two marking impulses,two spacling impulses and two marking impulses is received, followingthe start impulse. 'I'he startl impulse releases the cam drum for asingle revolution and the first code impulse, being marking, moves theselector armature 44 to the marking or righthand side. As the cam drumrotates, the flutter lever will be moved outwardly, permitting thearmature to move into the path of the lever and block it. When theflutter lever is blocked by the armature, the forked arm 35 guides theflutter cam as it rotates so that the number one marking cam on the drumwill be moved into line with the marking arm of the first selector leverand the cam will move the lever downward to the marking position.

The second impulse also being marking, the armature lever remains in therighthand marking position and the number two marking cam 1s broughtinto line with the marking arm of the second selector lever, causingthis lever to move downward into marking position.

'I'he third impulse is spacing. Therefore, the armature is moved to thespacing or lefthand side, whereby the flutter lever is released and thecam drum permitted to move to its front stop, by means of the lever 38,so that the number three spacing cam will be in line with the thirdselector lever, so as to move the same upwardly to spacing position.

The fourth impulse also being spacing, the number four selector leverwill be moved up- Wardly.

The fifth and sixth impulses are marking. Consequently the armature isagain moved to its marking or righthand side, causing the fifth andsixth marking cams to line up in succession with the marking arms toshift the same to the marking position. l

After the reception of the sixth selecting impulse, the stop impulse isreceived,` which is always marking in character, thus causing the drumto move to the left so that the stop arm 30 will engage the abutment 32at the end of the revolution. The cam drum is thus held at rest untilthe reception of the next starting impulse.

The two transfer arms 53 and 54 of the selecting levers are disposedabove the spaced arms of a series of six transfer levers 55, carried ona pin 56, capable of being raised after the selection has been set up,to rock the transfer levers either clockwise or counterclockwise byengagement of one of their spaced arms with one or the other of the arms53 and 54. y

The transfer levers are raised through the action of the operating cam20, controlled by mechanism now to be described.

The operating cam 20 is secured to the driven member 60 of the ratchetclutch 23, the driving member 6| of which is rigid with the shaft I1.'I'he clutch members are normally held disengaged against theraction ofa spring 62, by a fixed arm 63 engaging a cam surface on the annularshoulder 64 of the driven clutch member 60.

The friction clutch 24 is similar to the clutch 22 and comprises twofriction discs 65, 66 secured to the shaft I1 to rotate therewith andhave loosely mounted there-between the driven 'clutch disc 61, providedwith a forwardly extending stop member 68, normally engaged by a stoparm 69, pivoted on a rod 10 and having a U- shaped extension 1I providedwith an inturned arm 12 projecting under the driven disc 21 of theclutch 22. A roller 13 carriedby the-arm 12 extends beneath the disc 21,which is cam shaped, as shown in Figure 5, the raised portion ofthe camengaging the roller 13 to hold the stop arm 69 normally in engagementwith the stop member 68. A pin 14 carried by the operating cam 20extends into a slot 15 in the driven clutch disc 61 and locks the camand clutch disc for rotation together. I

The operating cam 20 has an internal eccentric cam groove 16 in whichrides a pin 11, carried upon one arm 18 of a U-shaped lever 19. 'Ihelever 19 is pivoted at each end upon the rod 10,

and has a U-shaped bracket mounted thereon.

The pin 56, carrying the transfer levers 55, extends between theupwardly projecting arms 9|, 82 of the bracket 80.

The operation of the transfer mechanism is as follows. During therotation of the cam drum 2| and just after the reception of the fourthimpulse, the depression in the edge of the driven clutch disc 21 comesopposite the roller 13 carried by the lever 12, permitting the lever tobe rocked outwardly by the spring 86 so as to move the stop arm 69 outof engagement with the stop member 68, thus permitting the clutch disc61 of the clutch 24 to'rotate, carrying with it the operating cam 20.After the operating cam is rotated a fewv degrees, the ratchet clutch 33is brought into engagement by movement of the cam face of the collar 64away from the arm 63, whereupon the operating cam is positively drivennearly to the end of its revolution, at which point the ratchet clutchis again disengaged and the operating cam is driven by the frictionclutch 24 until it is again stopped by engagement of the stop Vmember 68with the stop member 69.

As the operating cam revolves, it rocks the U- shaped bracket 19 so asto move the transfer levers 55 upwardly against the ends of the selectorlevers48.

The depending arm 88 of each of the transfer levers engages in a recess89 in individual contact bars 90 slidably mounted in a block 9|,surrounding the brush` arm shaft I5. The bars 90 are therefore shiftedto the right or to the left (Figure 3) by the transfer levers and in somoving operate the central contact of the switches 92 to 91 to connectthe same to eitherl positive or negative battery through the outsidecontacts of these switches, in accordance with the code combinationpreviously set up on the selector levers 48.

The switches 92, 94 and 96 are disposed on one side of the block 9| andthe switches 93, 95 and 91 are mounted on the opposite side thereof. Thebars 90 are held in their shifted positions by ball detents 98.

The block 9| is mounted upon the sleeve 99 carried by the frame of themachine and has a distributor face plate |00 rigidly secured thereto.The central contacts of the switches 92 to 91 are electrically connectedrespectively to the segments I to 6 of the distributor, the rest segmentbeing connected to marking battery and the start segment being connectedto spacing battery. The solid ring IOI is connected to the outgoingline.

Each code combination as it is transferred from the selector levers tothe contact mechanism, sets up the code on the segments of the faceplate. A brush arm |02, carrying the brushes |03 and |04, is secured tothe shaft I5 to rotate therewith. The shaft I5 extends loosely through.the block 9| and the face plate |00, the brush arm normally being heldagainst rotation through the friction clutch I6, by engagement with astop member |05 projecting downwardly from the arm B2 of the U-shapedbracket 80. At the instant arms 8| and 82 are rocked upwardly to effectthe transfer of the code combination to the contact mechanism, thestop-member |05 is raised out of the path of the brush-arm |02 and thebrush permitted to make a single revolution, thus transmitting the codecombination set up on the face plate at the time of the transferoperation. The repeated signals are of full duration and strength. Assoon as the code combination has been shifted to the distributor, theselecting mechanism comprising the selecting levers 48 and the cam drum2| are free to respond to a new combination. The new combination may betransmitted and received on the repeater during the period ofretransmission of the previous code combination.

It will be noted therefore, that a'repeater has been provided whichresponds to stop-start signals and repeats the same fully regenerated,and

that an overlap is provided whereby one signal combination may bereceived during the period of retransmission of the preceding codecombination.

In Figures '1, 8, and 9, a modification has been illustrated in which acomplete overlap is not employed, that is, wherein each signal, as it isreceived, is set up immediately on the repeating face plate andretransmitted fully regenerated an instant later. For example, the firstcode impulse may be repeated by the rotary transmitter during the periodof reception of one of the succeeding impulses of the same group, as forinstance, the third. The selecting levers 48 in this form constitute thestorage device, being held in each set position until the correspondingimpulse of the next signal group is received, each signal impulse beingrepeated prior to the reception of the corresponding impulse of the nextsignal group.

Referring to Figure 8 it will be noted that the transfer levers 55 havebeen omitted together with the slides 90 and the switches 92 to 91, andin place thereof two bus bars |06 and |01 of positive and negativepolarity, respectively, are mounted upon the block 9| and insulatedtherefrom. Each selecting lever has an insulated contact |03 mount-edthereon, adapted to play between the bus bars, as the selecting leversare thrown one way or the other by the cam drum 2|. The detents assistthe movement of the selecting levers, once they have been started, andhold the contacts rmly against the bus bars. The switch contacts |08 Vofthe six selecting levers are individually connected by conductors, tosegments I to 6, of the face plate |00.

Since the transfer mechanism has been eliminated, the operating cam 20,friction clutch 24, ratchet clutch 23, and their engaging anddisengaging mechanism may also be eliminated.

The brush arm |02 is normally held at rest on the rest segment R, by astop arm |05 constituting one offset arm of a U-shaped bracket |09, theother' arm |0 of which extends beneath the clutch driven disk 21 and hasa pin 13' engaged by the cam surface of the disk. The bracket |09 issecured to the U-shaped frame 19' supported on the shaft 10', carried inblocks ||0 and from the frame of the machine. A spring 95 maintains thepin 13 in contact with the periphery of the disk 21', the raised portionof the disk, when the cam drum 2| is at rest, engaging the pin to rockthe frame 19 so as to maintain the stop arm |05 lowered in the path ofthe brush arm |02. The drop B5 in the disk 21 is positioned relative tothe pin so that, at the proper time during the cycle, it comes oppositethe pin, thereby permitting the frame to be rocked by the spring 86', toraise the stop arm out of contact with the brush arm |02.

By way of example, the brush arm may be released as soon as the firstcode impulse has been completely received; that is, when the iirstmarking or spacing cam 33 comes opposite the first selecting lever tooperate the same, and thereby to set up the first code impulse of eithernegative or positive battery on segment of the face plate 00. The brush02 will then be released to sweep across the start segment S toretransmit the start impulse during the period of reception of thesecond code impulse; the first code impulse being retransmitted duringthe period of reception of the third impulse, etc.

After the sixth selecting lever has been set, the rest impulse isreceived bringing the cam drum to rest. The brush |02 continues torotate however to complete the transmission of the code group, afterwhich it comes to rest on the rest segment R, against the stop arm |05.

The selecting mechanism is in readiness to receive the succeeding codegroup immediately upon completion of the preceding code group; that is,there is no delay required for effecting a transfer operation of thepreceding code group to the transmitting mechanism and each signal groupmay be received in rapid succession.

The overlap between received and retransmitted signals may vary verygreatly, it only being necessary on the one hand, that it be sumcient toinsure that each signal impulse will be completely received and set upon its segment prior to the movement of the brush onto said segment,thereby to insure complete regeneration, and on the other hand, thateach yimpulse be completely transmitted before the corresponding impulseof the succeeding group is received.

In Figures 10 and 11 we have shown the invention applied to multiplextelegraph apparatus comprising the LaCour motor ||5 having an armatureI6 and eld magnets |1, the latter being energized through the contactsIl and ||9 of the driving fork |20. A corrector |2| is mounted upon themotor shaft |22 and revolves with it. The corrector comprises the magnet|23 connected to the slip rings |24, and by means of brushes |25, to anexternal circuit. The armature |26 of the magnet operates a pawi |21, torotate a ratchet wheel |23, one tooth each time the magnet is energized.A jockey (not shown) keeps the ratchet wheel in position and preventsits revolution unless properly operated by its feed pawl. The ratchetWheel is rigidly connected to a shaft |29, which also carries a pinion|30. 'I'he pinion meshes with a gear |3| fastened to the end of theshaft |32, carrying the brush arm |33 and the cam drum 2|.

The function of the corrector is to rotate one shaft with respect to theother when for any reason the motors at each end of the line are notmaintaining their synchronous relation. Ordinarily the motor ||5 isoperated slightly faster than the motor at the other end of the line,and the shaft |32 is slightly retarded at intervals to effectcorrection.

As the whole corrector revolves with the La- Cour Wheel, the correctorpinion and brush shaft gear act as a direct coupling causing thedistributor brush shaft to revolve with the motor shaft. When thecorrector is operated, the magnet |23 attracts its armature and in sodoing rotates the ratchet wheel and small pinion. This in turn rotatesthe brush shaft through the gear 3| over a small angle in the oppositedirection to the direction of motor rotation.

'I'he face plate |35 has a set of transmitting rings |35, |31 bridged bya brush |38 and a set of correcting rings |39, |40 bridged by a brush|4| The solid transmitting ring |36 is connected to the outgoing line|42 (Figure 11) andthe ring |31 has five segments, one for each unit ofthe code, connected individually to the contacts |43 to |41, carried bythe selector levers |43 to |52, of the selecting mechanism.

In the multiplex repeater the friction clutch 22 and start-stopmechanism is eliminated andv the drum 2| is rotated continuously insynchronism with the incoming signals. It slides back and forth on thesleeve |53, carried by the shaft |32, between the front and back stops|54 and |55, respectively, through the action oi' the iiutter cam,flutter lever 35, and cam return lever 39. 'I'he drum 2|' is rotatedwith the shaft by means of a pin and slot connection |51.

'I'he selecting levers are thrown one way or the other, in synchronismwith the received impulses, by the cam drum 2|' controlled by theconjoint action of the armature of the printing magnet 45 and theflutter cam lever 35, acting on the flutter cam 34.

The incoming multiplex signals are received from the line |58 on thedifferential main line relay |59 and repeated to the printer magnet 45which controls the position of the drum 2|', to set up the receivedsignals on ther segments of the transmitting ring |31. The brush |38rotates yin such phase relation to the incoming signals, as to repeateach signal, slightly after its reception, as in the case of the simplexrepeater described with reference to Figures '7, 8 and 9. The overlap issufllcient to ensure each signal being set up on a particular segmentbefore the brush moves onto such segment, but the retransmission of eachsignal impulse is completed prior to the reception of the correspondingimpulse of the next signal group.

The, signals transmitted over each channel of the multiplex system arerepeated in succession by the mechanism described, the brushes |38 and f4| making one complete revolution for each character repeated. Obviouslyfor a four channel system the brushes |38 and |4| rotate at four timesthe speed of the transmitting distributor brushes.l

The corrector rings |39 and |40 are of the usual form and serve,together with the corrector relay |60, break relay |6|, make relay |62,and shunt relay |63, to control the corrector mechanism.

The corrector relay |60 is connected to the tongue of the main linerelay |59 so that it closes on its marking contact whenever the linecurrent reverses from positive to negative. The circuit connections ofthe corrector are not described in detail since they are well known tothose skilled in the art and form no part of the present invention. Itis sufficient to say that whenever the brush arm shaft is in synchronismwith the transmitting distributor, thebrush |4| will be on one of thedead or B segments of ring |40 whenever a reversal occurs and thecorrector mechanism will not be operated. However, ,if the brush armshaft |32 gains s that the corrector brush |4 at the time of thereversal, is on one of vthe live segments A, a circuit is completed forthe corrector magnet |23, to operate the pawl |21 and thereby retard thebrush arm shaft. As a consequence, the brush arm and the cam drum aremaintained in substantially exact synchronism with the receivedimpulses. i

It will be noted that the signals are set up on the face plate |35through the mechanical selector using the single printer magnet 45 andwithout the use of a receiving sunflower or storage relays and aninstant later they are retransmitted in fully regenerated form. l

The repeater shown serves to repeat signals to the east line |42 only, asimilarrepeaterv (not shown) being provided, controlled by the linerelay |65, for repeating signals received over the east line to thewestline |58.

It will be noted that we have provided a repeater which does not employany storage relays and which, in the case of simplex signals, mayprovide a complete overlap of the received and repeated signals throughthe use of the transfer and mechanical storage mechanism, or a partialoverlap only may be provided by setting up ea'ch impulse, as it isreceived, on the face plate and repeating the same prior to thereception of the corresponding impulse of the next signal group.

Itis obvious, of course, that various Achanges and modifications in theconstruction of the repeater will occur to those skilled in the art andthat the invention may be applied to various types of selectingmechanism, all within the scope'of the present invention, and thereforewe do not desire to be limited to the specific details shown anddescribed.

What we claim is:

1. lA repeater for a start-stop telegraph system comprising a selectingmechanism responsive to groups of signals to set up received codecombinations, a sunflower transmitter, a contact mechanism for settingup code combinations on said sunflower, means for simultaneouslytransferring a complete code combination from Said selecting mechanismto said contact mechanism, means operating upon such transfer of eachcode combination for starting said sunflower transmitter 2. A repeaterfor a start-stop telegraph system comprising a selecting mechanismresponsive to groups of signals to set up received code combinations, asunflower transmitter, a contact mechanism for setting up codecombinations on said sunflower, means for simultaneously transferring acomplete code combination from said selecting mechanism to said contactmechanism, means operating upon such transfer of each code combinationfor starting said sunflower transmitter into operation to retransmit thecode combination and means for stopping the same after the completion ofsaid retransmission, said selecting mechanism being free to respond toasucceeding code combination during the period o'f retransmission of thepreceding code combination.

3. A repeater for a telegraph system comprising a selecting mechanismresponsive to groups of signals to set up received code combinations, arotary transmitter, a storage device and means for transferring in oneoperation each complete received code combination to said storagedevice, the storage device setting up said code combination on therotary transmitter, and means acting upon completion of said transferfor setting the rotary transmitter into operation to retransmit the codecombination, said selecting mechanism being independent of said storagemechanism after sai-d transfer has been effected, whereby the selectingmechanism is free to respond to succeeding groups of signals during theperiod of retransmission of the preceding group of-signals.

4. A repeater for a telegraph system in which successive character codecombinations of impulses are received in continuous successioncomprising a mechanical selector element individual to each code impulseof a signal group, means 0p. erating in synchronism with the codeimpulses to position mechanically the selector elements in succession inaccordance with each received code impulse, contact mechanism actuated'by said selector elements and a rotary transmitter for repeating thecode impulses in accordance with the position of said contact mechanism,each selector element being free from said transmitter in time torespond to its actuating impulse of the succeeding signal group, whensaid signal groups are received in continuous succession."

5. A repeater for a telegraph system in which successive character codecombinations of impulses are received in continuous successioncomprising a mechanical selector element individual to each selectingcondition of a signal group, means operating in synchronism withreceived selecting conditions and acting upon said selector elements insuccession to position the same mechanically in either' a marking orspacing position in accordance with received selecting conditions, arotary transmitter, a contact member individual to each selector`element for applying marking or spacing potential to the segments of therotary transmitter in accordance with the position of said selectorelements, said transmitter serving to repeat eac'n selecting condition apredetermined tiine after its reception and prior tothe reception of thecorresponding selecting condition of the succeeding signal group, whensaid signal groups are received in continuous succession.

G. l repeater ior a multiplex telegraph system comprisim7 a mechanicalselector' element individual to each selecting condition or a signalgroup, means operating in synchronism with received selecting conditionsand acting upon said selectors in succession to position the samemechanically either in a marlzine or spacing position in accordance withreceived selecting conditions, a rotary transmitter, a contact memberindividual to eacn selector element for applying marking or spacingpotential to the segments of said rotary transmitter in accordance withthe position of said selector elements, said transmitter serving torepeat each selecting condition prior to the reception of thecorresponding selecting conditions of the succeeding' signal group whensaid signal groups are received in continucus succession.

7. A repeater for a. multiplex telegraph system comprising a mechanicalselector element individual to each selecting condition of a signalgroup, a continuously operating receiving distributor operating insynchronism with received selecting conditions and acting upon saidselectors in succession to position the same mechanically either in amarking or spacing position in accordance with received selectingconditions, a rotary transmitter, a contact member individual rto eachselector element for applying marking or spacing potential to thesegments of said rotary transmitter in accordance with the position ofsaid selector elements, said transmitter serving to repeat each signalgroup, at least partially, during the period of reception of thesucceeding sigml group.

8. A repeater for a telegraph system comprising a plurality ofmechanical selector elements, a. relay subject to line conditions,continuously operating rotary means operating in synchronlsm withreceived impulses of each signal group and co-operating with said relayto operate said selecting elements in accordance with the nature of thereceived impulses, a continuously operating rotary transmitter operatingin synchronism with said received signals but retarded in phase relativethereto, said rotary transmitter having transmitting segments, and meansfor setting on said segments selecting conditions in accordance with theposition of said selector elements, said selector elements being free torespond to each succeeding new group of signals when said groups osignals are received in continuous succession.

Q. A repeater for a multiplex telegraph system comprising a mechanicalselector element indiidual to each impulse of an individual signalgroup, a relay responsive to received signal impulses, a continuouslytraveling member co-operating with said relay to position said selectorelements in succession in accordance with the nature of the impulsesreceived over each channel of the multiplex system, a rotary drivingelement for said travelling member, a rotary transmitter operated bysaid driving member and contact mechanism controlled by the position ofsaid selector elements to determine the nature oi the signals repeatedby said transmitter.

l0. A repeater for a multiplex telegraph system comprising a pluralityof mechanical selector elements, a relay responsive to received signalimpulses and means co-operating with said relay to position saidselectors in succession in accordance with the nature or". the impulsesreceived in continuous succession over each channel of the multiplexsystem, a rotary transmitter and contact means controlled by theposition of said selector elements to determine the nature of thesignals repeated by said transmitter.

l1. In a telegraph receiver, a plurality o! selecting elements, a linemagnet, cam means rotating in substantial synchronism with receivedsignal impulses for positioning said selector elements, under thecontrol of said magnet, a set of contacts for each selecting element,and a transferring mechanism operated after the positioning of saidselector elements and cooperating therewith to actuate said contacts inaccordance with the positioning of said selector elements.

ROBERT F. DIRKES. VERNON R. KIMBALL.

